In the summer of 1909, seventeen-year-old Nell Golightly is the new maid at the Orchard Tea Gardens in Cambridgeshire when Rupert Brooke moves in as a lodger. Famed for his looks and flouting of convention, the young poet captures the hearts of men and women alike, yet his own seems to stay intact. Even Nell, despite her good sense, begins to fall for him. What is his secret? This captivating novel gives voice to Rupert Brooke himself in a tale of mutual fascination and inner turmoil, set at a time of great social unrest. Revealing a man far more complex and radical than legend suggests, it powerfully conveys the allure - and curse - of charisma.

An undead man, who values libido and life, lives in the sewers and pines for Vera, a blind woman, while he helps a disgraced academic and serves as the mascot of a subway cult.

Ever felt confused about female sensuality? Puzzled as to what women really want? Now there is no need for guesswork. Packed full of tips and tricks How to Give Her Absolute Pleasure is sure to produce mind-blowing sex for both you and your partner. Written by one of America's most popular sexperts' Lou Paget, How to Give Her Absolute Pleasure will guide you all the way from foreplay to orgasm. Drawing on the experiences of real clients, Paget explains the best toys, lubricants and positions so you can start enjoying safe, breath-taking sex today.

*A New York Times Bestseller* Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman reveal the full story behind their epic romance—presented in a series of intimate conversations between the couple, including photos, anecdotes, and the occasional puzzle. The year: 2000. The setting: Los Angeles. A gorgeous virtuoso of an actress agreed to star in a random play, and a basement-dwelling scenic carpenter said he would assay a supporting role in the selfsame pageant. At the first rehearsal she surveyed her fellow cast members, determining if any of the men might qualify to provide her with a satisfying fling. Her gaze fell upon the carpenter, and like a bolt of lightning the thought struck her: no dice. Moving on. Yet, unbeknownst to our protagonists, Cupid had merely set down his bow and picked up a rocket launcher...that fired a love rocket (not a euphemism). The players were Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman, and the resulting romance, once ignited, was...epic. Beyond epic. It resulted in a coupling that has endured to this day; a sizzling, perpetual tryst that has captivated the world with its kindness, athleticism, astonishingly low-brow humor, and true (fire emoji) passion. How did they do it? They came from completely different families, ignored a significant age difference, and were separated by the gulf of several social strata. Megan loved books and art history; Nick loved hammers. But much more than these seemingly unsurpassable obstacles were the values they held in common: respect, decency, the ability to mention genitalia in almost any context, and an abiding obsession with the songs of Tom Waits. Eighteen years later, they're still very much in love and have finally decided to reveal the philosophical mountains they have conquered, the lessons they've learned, and the myriad jigsaw puzzles they've completed. Presented as an oral history in a series of conversations between the couple, the book features anecdotes, hijinks, photos, and a veritable grab bag of tomfoolery. This is not only the intoxicating book that Mullally's and Offerman's fans have been waiting for, it might just hold the solution to the greatest threat facing our modern world: the single life.

An international best-seller with more than one million copies in print and a winner of France's Prix Goncourt, The Lover has been acclaimed by critics all over the world since its first publication in 1984. Set in the prewar Indochina of Marguerite Duras's childhood, this is the haunting tale of a tumultuous affair between an adolescent French girl and her Chinese lover. In spare yet luminous prose, Duras evokes life on the margins of Saigon in the waning days of France's colonial empire, and its representation in the passionate relationship between two unforgettable outcasts. Long unavailable in hardcover, this edition of The Lover includes a new introduction by Maxine Hong Kingston that looks back at Duras's world from an intriguing new perspective--that of a visitor to Vietnam today.

Celebrate the greatest love stories that have molded the course of history! Romance in its many shapes and forms is celebrated around the world. It is a constant act of affection shown irrespective of age, race, gender or background, and is one way in which we show our humanity. This beautiful visual guide reveals the most passionate and tragic love tales throughout the centuries from people all over the world and includes: • Profiles stories of love and lovers throughout history, from the best-known — like Mark Antony and Cleopatra, Napoleon and Josephine, and John Lennon and Yoko Ono — to less famous but equally powerful examples, like Hadrian and Antinous, Anne Lister and Ann Walker, and Mildred and Richard Loving • Specially commissioned illustrations that represent the individuals involved, with images of letters, paintings and artifacts that tell the story of each love affair • Quotes from love letters, poems, songs and stories by the featured individuals, or about their relationship • Diverse LGBTQ+ love stories, such as Emperor Ai of Han and Dong Xian; Virginia Woolf and Vita Sackville-West; Lili Elbe and Gerda Wegener; and Eleanor Roosevelt and Lorena Hickok Mark Antony's love for Cleopatra led to war between Rome and Egypt, Emperor Xuanzang of Tang relinquished the Mandate of Heaven for Yang Guifei, and the English Reformation was borne out of Henry VIII's passion for Anne Boleyn. These great loves and many others have been celebrated, recorded and forever memorialized to chronicle the wars, peace treaties and politics of our modern world. This inspirational book about love also delves into the popularity of real love stories. It features columns, podcasts and TV shows like the NYT Modern Love column, the appetite for love letters, and the timeless popularity of love and romance with reality-TV programs like Love Island, First Dates and The Bachelor/Bachelorette. This is the perfect purchase for a Valentine’s Day gift or any other special occasion for anyone interested in history, culture and literature. Most importantly, readers who want to learn about relationships that have challenged conventions, the history of LGBTQ+, lovers of romance and trivia, and general knowledge fans.

One of America's most popular sexperts offers a fun, refreshingly modern, totally explicit guide to mastering a man's body. No matter what age we are or how much experience we have, we all want to be great lovers. Most of the sex guides for women, however, have been prudish, esoteric, or incomplete. The ultimate sexual instruction book for women, How to Be a Great Lover gives you the down and dirty details that you really want to know on exactly what men like and why, and shares the proven erotic techniques that make for incredible sex you'll both enjoy. Acclaimed sex expert Lou Paget draws on the real-life experience of the hundreds of men and women who have attended her workshops and presents their secrets and tricks in an elegant, no-nonsense style. Lou has found that in the bedroom (or closet, or kitchen), knowledge equals confidence, and confidence will make you feel empowered, heighten the intimacy of your relationship, and enable you and your partner to enjoy yourselves in a variety of intense, new ways. Whether you are starting a new relationship, have run out of creative ideas, or want to light his fire all over again, How to Be a Great Lover has enough spicy tips and surprises to excite both of you and leave him begging for more. From kissing techniques, ways to create the right atmosphere, and a lesson on safe sex--including the "Italian Method" of putting a condom on a man with your mouth--to twenty different manual techniques and the secrets of great oral sex, Lou covers all the basics and more. She offers innovative positions for intercourse, tantalizing moves you can do with a pearl necklace, and a beginner's guide to anal stimulation, as well as a catalogue of sex toys and how to use them. With more than ninety step-by-step illustrations that will show you how to drive him wild, How to Be a Great Lover provides proven, sure-fire techniques that will make you a master of the bedroom.

From the author of The Romanovs: a vivid account of history's most successful political partnership—as sensual and fiery as it was creative and visionary. Catherine the Great was a woman of notorious passion and imperial ambition. Prince Potemkin—wildly flamboyant and sublimely talented—was the love of her life and her co-ruler. Together they seized Ukraine and Crimea, territories that define the Russian sphere of influence to this day. Their affair was so tumultuous that they negotiated an arrangement to share power, leaving each of them free to take younger lovers. But these “twin souls” never stopped loving each other. Drawing on the pair’s intimate letters and on vast research, Simon Sebag Montefiore's widely acclaimed biography restores these imperial partners to their rightful place as titans of their age.

Discover the secret symbols and meaning behind 62 featured paintings in this unique volume. Ranging from Giotto’s 14th-century painting of the Last Judgment to the 19th-century symbolist Gustave Moreau’s depiction of Jupiter and Semele, each work has been selected for its own symbolic enigma. This book’s innovative design pairs each painting with a page of die-cut windows that help the reader focus on specific aspects of each painting and features captions that highlight the most important symbols. Other works in this unique and fascinating book include Renaissance masterpieces such as Botticelli’s Primavera and The Birth of Venus, Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa and The Last Supper, and Michelangelo’s The Last Judgment.